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Compare Iron vs Cobalt

Comparing Iron (Fe) and Cobalt (Co). Atomic numbers 26 and 27 with atomic masses 55.845 u and 58.933 u, classified as transition metal and transition metal. Below: a side-by-side comparison of their physical, atomic, electron-configuration and historical properties, including density, melting and boiling points, ionization energies, oxidation states and discovery history.

vs
Fe
Iron
#26
Co
Cobalt
#27

Periodic properties of the elements

IronCobalt
SymbolFeCo
Atomic number2627
Group89
Period44
Blockdd
Element categoryTransition MetalTransition Metal

Physical properties

IronCobalt
Phase at STPSolidSolid
Density7.874 g/cm38.9 g/cm3
Atomic weight55.8452 u58.9332 u
Melting point1811 K
1537.85 °C
2800.13 °F		1768 K
1494.85 °C
2722.73 °F
Boiling point3134 K
2860.85 °C
5181.53 °F		3200 K
2926.85 °C
5300.33 °F

Atomic properties

IronCobalt
Electronegativity (Pauling Scale)1.831.88
Electron affinity14.785 kJ/mol63.898 kJ/mol
Oxidation states−4, −2, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5, +6, +7
(an amphoteric oxide)		−3, −1, 0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5
(an amphoteric oxide)
Ionization energies
  1. 762.5 kJ/mol
  2. 1561.9 kJ/mol
  3. 2957 kJ/mol
  4. 5290 kJ/mol
  5. 7240 kJ/mol
  6. 9560 kJ/mol
  7. 12060 kJ/mol
  8. 14580 kJ/mol
  9. 22540 kJ/mol
  10. 25290 kJ/mol
  11. 28000 kJ/mol
  12. 31920 kJ/mol
  13. 34830 kJ/mol
  14. 37840 kJ/mol
  15. 44100 kJ/mol
  16. 47206 kJ/mol
  17. 122200 kJ/mol
  18. 131000 kJ/mol
  19. 140500 kJ/mol
  20. 152600 kJ/mol
  21. 163000 kJ/mol
  22. 173600 kJ/mol
  23. 188100 kJ/mol
  24. 195200 kJ/mol
  25. 851800 kJ/mol
  26. 895161 kJ/mol
  1. 760.4 kJ/mol
  2. 1648 kJ/mol
  3. 3232 kJ/mol
  4. 4950 kJ/mol
  5. 7670 kJ/mol
  6. 9840 kJ/mol
  7. 12440 kJ/mol
  8. 15230 kJ/mol
  9. 17959 kJ/mol
  10. 26570 kJ/mol
  11. 29400 kJ/mol
  12. 32400 kJ/mol
  13. 36600 kJ/mol
  14. 39700 kJ/mol
  15. 42800 kJ/mol
  16. 49396 kJ/mol
  17. 52737 kJ/mol
  18. 134810 kJ/mol
  19. 145170 kJ/mol
  20. 154700 kJ/mol
  21. 167400 kJ/mol
  22. 178100 kJ/mol
  23. 189300 kJ/mol
  24. 204500 kJ/mol
  25. 214100 kJ/mol
  26. 920870 kJ/mol
  27. 966023 kJ/mol

Electron configuration

IronCobalt
Shorthand configuration[Ar] 3d6 4s2 [Ar] 3d7 4s2
Full configuration1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d6 4s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d7 4s2
Electrons per shell2, 8, 14, 22, 8, 15, 2

History

IronCobalt
DiscoveryMiddle East (5000 BC)Georg Brandt (1735)
First isolationGeorg Brandt (1735)
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